2012

I have been feeling sorry for myself for things that I don't have lately.  Especially at Chrsitmas when the families come together with all the cute nieces and nephews to play with.  It was so much fun to have the family around and yet, I felt sorry for myself at times and couldn't get my problems to leave my head fully.
As I thought of what to do as a "new years resolution", I thought that I was silly to focus on the things that I don't have in my life and focus on the things that I do have.  I want to grow in the areas where I can and not worry about the things that I can't control.
And Christmas was great!  Huckleberry and Scott's nephew, Cade (who is less than a year old) get along really great and played a lot together.  They were hillarious to watch as they interacted.  First one would take the others toy and then they would switch, huckw ould try to lick Cade and then Cade would chase Huck and try to grab his face.  With a sister-in-law having to give up her dog just recently because of nipping, it is nice to see that we have a dog that interacts well with kids.  So, Huckleberry is on my list of things that I am greatful for.
Having the family around at Christmas was great and I am grateful for family and for a house that is big enough to hold all of them, with enough beds (although maybe not the most comfortable beds).
I am grateful for my calling in the church and excited for the recent change.  (For those of you who don't know, I am now in charge of the Personal Progress for all of the young women, ages 12 to 18.)  I am excited to be given the liberty to make my own choices in this calling of what I feel would help the girls the most... Mainly I have been asking the Lord for the direction in this.
I am grateful for our ward.  It is so amazing.  I have always loved church and the people there but I have never felt like I fit or was accepted as much as I am here.  Scott and I (and Huck) have good friends who enjoy our company and who we can help out a bit and who help us so much, even just with their friendships.  Families who lend us a plunger Christmas day because we don't have one and a toilet overflows.  Other families who spend 12 days dropping off gifts at 6:00-7:00 in the morning, families who take the time to really show us that we are valued and loved.
I am also grateful that Christmas fell on a Sunday this year.  I loved having a Christmas church service and if it were up to me, it would happen every year.  It was so spiritual and really helped me think about the meaning of the day and the season.  It was perfect.  There were kids playing the violine with an adult chealist and violinist who are both amazing int heir own rights.  There were children singing and two small talks by the bishop and another member of the ward... Oh, another thing that I am a grateful for is a caring bishop- he has twitter, just so that he can see how the kids of the ward are doing (he never tweets), he gives them his cell number and has learned to text so that they can keep him informed on the big events in their lives, good or bad, he drops of things for those in our ward who are shuit in, don't get out lots, are in need of support, etc, he helped us with legal advice when we were worried that we would be kicked out of our home on misinformation of the law on our landlord's part, he lets both his counsellors sit with their families on Christmas and sits on the stand alone because he is always thinking of others.  He's been bishop for five years in this ward now.  That means he will be released soon and I am grateful that he will be able to spend more time with his family in the not too distant future.
We have a great community that we live in and are blessed to be able to be close to nature, in the middle of the largest city in Alberta- we are close to a lake as well as a beautiful coulie.
Although I have been complaining about my health lately and have not felt 100% this year, I am grateful that I do have health and that I know what my 100% feels like and that I have access to the care that I need to get myself back to the 100%.  I am grateful that I have the ability to bike, hike, swim, and do all the other activities that I enjoy.  And that this area of the city allows us to do.
I am grateful for the gospel in my life and the knowledge that all of the trials and hardships in life happen for a reason and bring me closer to Christ and my Heavenly Father.
I am grateful for the scriptures that testify of Christ and His life, giving me somewhere to look for a perfect person to follow when I wonder what I should be and who I want to become.
I am grateful for a family who helped me learn many lessons in my youth, how to take care of and serve others, how to do household chores, take care of kids, learn the lessons of the gospel and put others first.  I am grateful for family and siblings at this stage of my life that are a joy to be around, even when things are chaotic as they sometimes are. ;)
I am grateful for a husband who took the time, during his testing period, while marking and supervising exams and studying for his own, to go out and get me 12 days worth of gifts and write 12 letters and get friends to help drop off gifts for the 12 days of Christmas.  I love that my husband is perfect for me.  He is so great and treats me so well and I am grateful for the years that we have been able to have together, putting each other first.  This same husband puts so much effort into school, even though it has been a long time and a lot of effort- more effort than any other degree that I have seen someone go through yet, let alone the work that he has to do for his Masters.  (Sometimes I can't believe why anyone would do a master in statistics- it's so much work)  And above his own classes, he teaches classes of other students and marks their work and helps them when they struggle.  Then he comes home and during all of the work he has to do, he takes the time to go for a walk with Huck and I and ask me about my day, and more often than I should admit even has supper ready for me.  He cleans the house with me and always has the kitchen looking nice.  He thinks of me at times when things are getting crazy for him and I love that about him.  He is also a very spiritual guy and teaches a group of young boys about the gospel in church, which is sometimes difficult because he wants them to really get the meaning of the lessons and thus will research ways to touch the hearts of these boys, through object lessons and other things- he puts so much effort into everything he does.  He is such a hard worker!
So, life is really great and I have a lot of good that I will continue to try to look at throughout this year as I work on building my relationship with Heavenly Father.  I have always known that looking at the positives helps me be more positive and helps me feel closer to the spirit but when I am down, I don't often think of that.  So grateful for a new year to help me get some good goals going:  build a better relationship with my Father in Heaven and get fit!  (My bum already hurts from biking last night- don't think I'll be able to go for 1 hr again tonight but whatever I do, it'll help with being fit.)
Love you all and hope you are having a great 2012!!